Scouting the Enemy: Carson Wentz

Sara Eljouzi

11/04/2016

The Giants Beat takes a look at the Eagles gunslinger and how they can gameplan to beat the rookie.

This year’s NFC East has been rallied around the story of rookie quarterbacks, led by Dak Prescott and the newest New York Giants rival,Carson Wentz. Sunday’s game will test the ability of a 13 year veteran matched with the fiery spark of a rookie finding his niche. Here are the things you need to know about Eagles’ QB Wentz:

Strengths: Wentz is known for his ridiculously strong arm and elite athleticism that makes him a promising rookie QB. He could throw the ball over 65 yards with ease and can make just about all the plays that you would expect from a franchise quarterback. Wentz possesses excellent footwork. At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, he’s big enough to shed opposing defensive lineman and avoid getting sacked. He has a quick release, evading pressure in tough situation and limits turnovers. He has the knowledge of a complex offense and reads the defense well, making the right play and calling an audible when necessary. His hand size is larger than most QBs, making it more difficult for opposing defenses to strip the ball from him. Playing with a chip on his shoulder, many wrote him off as a young player coming from a small school, but he has already proved that he can live up to NFL standards.

Weaknesses: Wentz has not been consistent out of the pocket and proves to struggle on the run, losing velocity and accuracy. Wentz has unbelievable arm strength, but he is still limited, occasionally throwing the deep ball, but lacking consistency. In terms of vision, he misses the open man and can spend too much time targeting one receiver.

Summary: Wentz will have a large impact in the game, with an ideal size and overwhelming presence on the field. As the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft, there was some big expectations from him. Starting as a rookie QB, Wentz plays the game with poise, but he is not tested with the Eagles’ play calling, which has been conservative by Coach Doug Pederson. Asa rookie, he is still finding his niche and the Eagles have not yet found their rhythm. The Giants cannot write him off because of his lack of experience. With his large stature, it will be difficult to bring him down and Wentz still has a strong, reliable arm that can lead his team to a successful passing game.